In an automotive interior, aesthetic trim and appearance are often important design considerations. For example, the form, fit, and functionality of seats, seat belts, and other such equipment and accessories found within a vehicle passenger compartment or cabin are carefully evaluated and selected with an eye toward minimizing or eliminating any unattractive trim gaps or openings that may impart an unattractive or unfinished appearance. Vehicle interiors often utilize complex or multi-component rotating joint assemblies, such as seat belt anchors mounted with respect to a side pillar or B-pillar, or other such devices requiring unimpeded rotational movement in more than one rotational direction. Often, such complex rotating joints are difficult to work with during vehicle interior assembly due to the size of the joint and/or the limited space in which an assembly worker has to work on certain vehicle trim panels.
Current methods and devices for achieving a suitable rotating joint typically include the use of shouldered fasteners, i.e., bolts, studs, rivets, load distribution washers and/or spacers, bushings, or other such fasteners having multiple pieces or complex structural features. However, these devices have certain inherent disadvantages, and therefore their use may be less than optimal. For example, the relative complexity of custom shouldered fasteners and associated joint assemblies often carry additional costs, increased size, and/or challenging dimensions that may in some ways inhibit installation of the joint or any devices attached thereto. As noted hereinabove, this may be true in particular when installing automotive interior components within a limited space.